extramedullary plasmacytoma

Extramedullary Plasmacytoma Signs and Symptoms

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare cancer that forms from plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell. The signs and symptoms of EMP depend on the location of the tumor in the body.

• Soft Tissue Symptoms: When an EMP occurs in soft tissue, it can cause pain or discomfort due to the tumor pressing on nearby areas. For example:
  • A tumor in the nose may feel like there's something stuck there, making it hard to breathe through the nose [1].
  • A tumor in the throat can make it difficult to speak or swallow [10][11].
• Bone Symptoms: When an EMP occurs in bone, it can cause pain or broken bones. This is because the tumor can damage the bone and affect its structure [4][12].
• General Symptoms: In some cases, EMP can also cause general symptoms such as:
  • Feeling very tired due to the tumor's impact on the body [8].
  • Hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood), which can affect many organs in the body [8].

It's essential to note that the exact signs and symptoms of EMP will depend on where in the body the tumor is located. If you're experiencing any unusual symptoms, it's crucial to consult with a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and treatment.

References:

[1] Context result 1 [4] Context result 4 [8] Context result 8 [10] Context result 10 [11] Context result 11 [12] Context result 12

Differential Diagnosis of Extramedullary Plasmacytoma

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare plasma cell tumor that occurs in soft tissues outside the bone marrow. When diagnosing EMP, it's essential to consider other conditions that may present similarly. Here are some differential diagnoses for EMP:

• Multiple Myeloma: A tumor of plasma cells that can progress from EMP over 2-3 years [10].
• Solitary Plasmacytoma of Bone: A rare form of plasma cell dyscrasia that presents as a single mass of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow [13].
• Primary AL Amyloidosis: A condition characterized by the deposition of abnormal proteins (amyloid) in various tissues and organs, which can mimic EMP symptoms.
• Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS): A condition where a single type of antibody is produced in excess, but no cancer or other disease is present.
• Lymphoma: A type of blood cancer that can involve the soft tissues and may be difficult to differentiate from EMP.
• Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST): A rare tumor of the digestive tract that can mimic EMP symptoms.
• Adenocarcinoma: A type of cancer that originates in glandular tissue, which can present similarly to EMP.

Key Points

• EMP is a rare plasma cell tumor that occurs outside the bone marrow.
• Differential diagnosis includes multiple myeloma, solitary plasmacytoma of bone, primary AL amyloidosis, MGUS, lymphoma, GIST, and adenocarcinoma.
• Accurate diagnosis requires histological examination and immunohistochemical markers such as CD38, CD138, and CD79a [14].

References

[10] - Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a tumor of plasma cells. Plasmacytoma may progress to multiple myeloma over 2-3 years. [13] - Solitary plasmacytoma is an infrequent form of plasma cell dyscrasia that presents as a single mass of monoclonal plasma cells, located either extramedullary or intraosseous. [14] - Differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal extramedullary plasmacytoma includes adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumour, lymphoma (of various lineages) and multiple myeloma.